Archive for April 2010

You’ve been working, you’re so tired and need a break. Your eyes hurt and you just can’t take it anymore. Well I have the solution for you: Stare at the following stereograms and make your eyes hurt even more!!! hihihi

I’m a huge fan of stereograms and I thought of sharing that with you.

Let’s review some helpful tips:

But a reminder first: Not everyone can see the 3D illusions in the stereogram picture.

Try one of these ways to view the hidden image:

1- Bring the image very close to your eyes, allow it to almost touch your nose (because at that stage you don’t focus on the image, rather, your eyes are focused on something behind the image). Then, try slowly to push the image away from you and try to keep your eyes focused on the object behind the image.

or

2- Put an object behind the image about half a meter away, and try to make your eyes focused on the object behind while looking at the image.

“How is my lovely mother doing this morning? Good morning” Wasseem greets his mother, hugs her and kiss her.

“I’m very good cause I have you in my life. Good morning baby. Tell me, did you enjoy last night’s party with your friends?

“Wow, we had lots of fun.” (he sings: we had joy we had fun, we had seasons in the sun) “except that it was night-time, so there was no sun, mom. Mom, I need to ask you something, why do I love you so much? Is there a reason why?”

“Ok what do you want? I told you before don’t go beating around the bush, just tell me what do you want.”

“Going out with my girlfriend and friends, and enjoying life is not wasting money.”

“Are you still dating Noor?”

“Yes.”

“I’m impressed. You’ve been together for some time now. That doesn’t sound like you.”

“Well, she’s special.”

“Is she the one?”

“Ah, too early to know. But she’s special, and I kind of like her.” His phone rings. “That’s Omar, he’s here.” Hugs his mother again, “should go now. Another hectic day. Straight to university, then at one I have to go to work. Bye. Love you. Don’t wait for me for dinner. Might work on a project tonight with the boys. Will call you.”

“Say hi to Noor and Omar. Bye, take care.”

With that, Wasseem started his day. Off to university to attend his classes, and then, to work. Noor was waiting for him in the class. They attended all classes together.

As a journalist student, he had a part-time job with a local teen magazine. He was hoping that as soon as he graduates he’ll find a full-time work.

After classes, he went to his work without any delay. Afterall, it was the end of the month.

“Wasseem”, his manager called him, “I need you in my office now.”

Wasseem entered the manager’s office. “Wasseem”, the manager started the conversation, “this is your salary. We are going through some changes at our company. We are getting rid of part-time jobs. This means you no longer work for us. Now you have to prepare for me a report on what articles you were working, and I’ll take it from there. It is the new company policy, I’m so sorry. I’m even sorry that I had to jump right away into the subject. It’s not about you, just the company policy.”

Wasseem was in shock and didn’t know what to say. “Thank you,” and left the office. Few hours later he gave the report to the manager and left for good.

Omar called him. “Hey, don’t be late, we need to work on the project. I am home, and the boys are almost here. Do you want me to pick you up?”

“No,” Wasseem replied, “and don’t wait for me. I got fired today, and I don’t want to see anyone, just want to go home.”

“Fired??? What??? Wait for me, 5 minutes and I’ll be there. We need to talk.”

I was born in Monrovia, Liberia (West Africa). It’s an amazing country. Used to visit Lebanon from time to time, until April 1996. Here’s what happened:

It was a Saturday morning, my father left to his work, my mother was preparing to leave to work, and I was to accompany her. Her boss called and asked her to stay home that day, because it wasn’t so safe. We stayed home, I finished my homework and was playing with my next door friend. It was noon time when we heard gun shots in the area, and people in the market (which was close to our house) panicked.

Some time later, my father came home early. People were closing down their shops, supermarkets, offices, etc. and heading home for safety. We never thought it would be violent. About 6p.m., as my father was hearing the news on the radio, the cat went crazy for few seconds and there was a bang. It was a bomb that hit the building behind us. We were sure, then, that war broke out. We searched for the safest place in our house to hide. It was getting darker and more noisy. Our neighbors next door (a Lebanese family) were also hiding in the safest place in their home which happened to be behind our wall. When it was a bit quiet and dark enough, we crawled to get out of the house and went to our neighbours’ so we can be together.

There were other Lebanese families in the neighbourhood, one of them had a big store (it was groundfloor), their house ontop of it and underground warehouses. They called us so that we would all stay together in the underground floors. We grabbed our stuff and went.

One day, when it was a bit calm, my father went home to get some stuff. He had some cash in his pocket, it was all we had. A rebel got caught of him and threatened him. Result? He took the cash and my father’s watch. Gladly it was all what that rebel cared for.

One good thing about that period of time was food. Why? Our neighbours, the ones that owned the warehouse, owned a supermarket. So part of the warehouse was for the supermarket’s goods, which ofcourse is mostly food. We had all kinds of stuff and for free.

We were informed that the American Embassy is taking refugees to other countries. The decision was that wives and kids should leave immediately. We packed our few things that were left, said goodbye to my dad, and left. It was hard. Do I have to mention what we saw on the sidewalks of the street? No, I don’t. No need to tell you about the ugly scene. When we got to the embassy, a security personnel ran towards us and said: “See that helicopter that just left? It was the last one. It ain’t coming back. Don’t bother yourself. Stay in the car and leave”. On our way back, a group of young rebels (about 20 in number, aged between 11 and 19) stopped us. They were drunk and looked hideous. Some of them said “If you move the car we’ll shoot you” the others said “If you stay here one more second we’ll shoot you”. We were dead meat both ways. I don’t recall how, but they managed to agree and let us go. We’re alive.

We reached the warehouse (our safe place) and went back to the routine that we were living for the past 10 days or so. Eating, drinking, playing games and keeping our heads safe when the fight was strong and violent.

One day, some of us were in the house (floor 1) preparing lunch, and the rest of us stayed in the groundfloor. When lunch was ready, they called us to have lunch, but we couldn’t climb the stairs because it was literally raining gun shots. We waited, hopping that we will have lunch in a short time. Then there was a big knock on the front gate and a loud voice. We knew that it was the rebels. They entered the house and stole some stuff, killed the African guy that used to work for the owners of the house. We were downstairs hearing every single footstep. We were extremely worried that they would find about us. My father closed all the gates that lead downstairs, and he hadn’t the keys to open them. We were trapped, and our only way out of there was a small gate that leads us to the river. My friend managed to escape from the rebels and ran down the stairs, but since the gates were closed he couldn’t reach us. He had to hide under the stairs. Thank God the rebels didn’t pay attention to him and none of them followed him. They left and we were in shock and frightened. We spent that night in the warehouse (underground) though it was somehow calm outside. We had no lights on, only candles. The owner of the house remembered that he had the portable radio (walkie talkie) disconnected and thrown all over the house when the rebels came in. So he went back to the house and searched for them, he managed to connect one and he called some friends.

That night was long. Next day morning, some people came for the rescue and they took us somewhere safe. Then we were informed that there’s a ship that will take us to Sierra Leone. It wasn’t a passengers ship. It was a carriage ship, which means no place to sleep. But someone rented a bedroom from an employee and gave it to us. So we, the women and children, 11 in total, spent that 36 hours in that bedroom; and the men spent it standing between the crowds under the rain. To make matters worse, we were attacked by pirates (I wish Jhonny Depp was with them, *sigh*)

We reached Sierra Leone, and preparations were made for all of us to stay in hotels until they can arrange a plane to get us to Lebanon. We spent about a week in Sierra Leone, then we were on the plane to head to Lebanon. We left the hotel early in the morning, to go to the airport. By noon time we were on board. But I was so hungry, and they won’t serve food until the plane takes off. As soon as it did, lunch was served. It was “riz w bazella” (rice with peas soup). It was very hot, but I couldn’t stand it anymore, I ate; and I will never forget the taste of that dish, it was so delicious.

When the captain announced “Welcome to Lebanon”, we all clapped and cried tears of joy and hapiness mixed with the feeling that we are now safe.

That was 14 years ago. When I said to myself “14” it seemed a huge number, but infact it’s just like yesterday.

We are all looking forward when God’s promise is acheived: “…they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore” Isaiah 2:4

Why the whole debate about it, I really don’t know why. It is used in our daily speech with friends and family members. I have never heard anyone say “Hi kifak? Ca va?” when hosting a political show, have you?This is informal speech, and there are absolutely NO RULES for informal speech.

Most of our daily speech is informal; but there’s no debate about it. For example, “shou kifak elyoum?” ; in formal Arabic it’s “كيف حالك اليوم؟”. It’s not a subject of debate. Why? Because it’s informal.

To me “Hi, kifak? Ca va?” or “Maitre, please l7seib” is the power of the Lebanese. It’s what make us so special: being able to express ourselves in 3 languages. You never hear a French or American say that.

Lebanese are multilingual. And it not just about using 3 languages in a sentence. A Lebanese talks to a foreigner in his own language. How? When he meets an Egyptian, a Lebanese speaks the Egyptian dialect. When he meets a Chinese, well it doesn’t work in this case!!! But I think you got my point.

Those words are wonderful. Each and every one of them carries a deep meaning to show the person how much he/she means to you.

We love to hear those words, and it’s normal. We all love to be loved. I myself feel so happy to know that I am very special to someone. And I know you feel the same way too.

But it seems these words carry the opposite meaning these days. Why do we say them to those who we don’t care about?

Examples:

At work, he addresses all his colleages/clients/everyone with those special words. “eh ya habib alby, kifak elyoum?” “shou ya 3youny, kif bse3dik?” But when a real friend or family member calls him, he answers the phone “eh na3am, kifna el youm?”

I once sent a business e-mail to someone I have never met. The reply e-mail started with “Yes my dear…” (I know we usually start with Dear Mr. , but this one said “my dear”; how could I be “your dear” and you never saw my face or heard my voice?)

Or what about this girls: you go shopping, you enter this shop for the first time, you like a dress, try it on, then the salesperson says “wow ya habibty shou leb2elik”.

My main concern is that those wonderful words are misused. We hardly express them to those we care about. We say them to those who we envy, who we never met before, who have a simple touch in our lives; but not to those who need to hear it.

If I ever told you “my dear” or … you should know that you mean a lot to me!!!